Arctic terns breeding in the Netherlands migrate via Australia to the Antarctic!

Research on Arctic terns reveals their spectacular migration route!

Arctic terns breeding in the northern part of the Netherlands were fitted with geolocators. These tiny light sensors revealed the route and timing of their spectacular migration across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to the Antarctic. Two of the marked birds passed southern Australia and one even passed New Zealand on their route towards Wilkes Land in the eastern Antarctic.

This route is the longest bird migration route recorded so far and is different to that taken by Arctic terns breeding on Greenland.